Finding cheap flights isn’t about luck — it’s about understanding how pricing works and giving yourself flexibility where possible. Airline fares change constantly, influenced by demand, seasonality, fuel costs and even browsing behaviour.
One of the biggest cost savers is flexibility. Being open to travelling a day earlier or later, or flying midweek rather than at weekends, can make a significant difference. Early morning and late-night flights are often cheaper, as they’re less popular with leisure travellers.
Alternative airports can also unlock savings. Flying from or into a nearby airport — particularly when travelling long haul — can sometimes cut hundreds off the fare, even after factoring in extra travel time.
Price alerts are another useful tool. Many flight comparison websites allow you to track a route and receive notifications when prices rise or fall. This helps you spot good-value fares without needing to check manually every day.
That said, the cheapest flight isn’t always the best option. Flight times, connections, baggage allowances and reliability all play a role in determining whether a fare really represents good value.
When to book flights
Despite popular myths, there’s no single “perfect” day or time to book flights. Pricing patterns vary by destination, airline and season, and what works for one route may not apply to another.
For short-haul European travel, fares are often lowest a few months in advance, while long-haul flights typically offer better value when booked further ahead, especially during peak travel periods such as school holidays or major events.
Booking too early can sometimes mean paying a premium, particularly on routes where airlines haven’t yet released their most competitive fares. On the other hand, leaving it too late — especially for popular destinations — often results in higher prices as availability tightens.
Sales can offer genuine savings, but they’re usually limited to specific routes and travel dates. If you see a price that fits your budget and schedule, it’s often better to book than wait in the hope of a small further drop.
Ultimately, the best approach is to research early, monitor prices, and book when the fare feels reasonable rather than chasing an elusive “rock-bottom” deal.
When flights are released
Airlines typically release flight schedules many months in advance, though the exact timing varies by carrier and route. Flag carriers and low-cost airlines follow different pricing strategies, and the initial price is not always the cheapest.
Early releases can be useful if you need specific dates or seats, but prices often fluctuate significantly after launch. For most travellers, monitoring prices after schedules open — rather than booking immediately — leads to better value.
Major UK Airlines
- British Airways – Released continually, 355 days before departure
- Virgin Atlantic – Released continually, 11 months before departure
- Rynair – Batch release, around 9 months before departure.
- EasyJet – Release in batches four times a year.
- Jet2 – Released continually, 12 to 18 months before departure
Other Airlines
| Airline | When Tickets Go On Sale |
|---|---|
| Air France | Released continually, 11 months before departure |
| American Airlines | Released continually, up to 331 days before departure |
| Emirates | Released continually, 340 days before departure |
| Etihad | Released continually, 11 months before departure |
| Iberia | Released continually, 365 days before departure |
| KLM | Released continually, around 11 months before departure |
| Lufthansa | Released continually, 360 days before departure |
| Qatar | Released continually, 361 days before departure |
Finding cheapest flights
- Start with flights, as these are usually the most expensive and volatile element.
- Use comparison and inspiration tools such as Skyscanner, Google Flights, and Kayak.
- Search broadly: “Anywhere” destinations, whole-month views, or flexible dates.
- Let price guide the destination rather than the other way around.
The British Airways Cheapest Fare Finder is another useful tool—it allows you to search by destination and is particularly easy to use.
It’s also worth looking at:
Flight deal sites like Secret Flying and Jack’s Flight Club, which highlight low fares and occasional error fares.
Starting Your Journey Outside the UK
Air Passenger Duty
In some cases, starting your journey outside the UK can significantly reduce the cost of long-haul flights. One reason for this is UK Air Passenger Duty (APD), which increases the price of flights originating in the UK. There are also quirks in the tax system, including departures from certain UK airports such as Inverness, which has lower APD, which can affect pricing.
Airline Business Models Explained
Another major factor is the business model airlines operate, which influences how routes are priced and where the cheapest fares appear.
Low-cost airlines typically operate a point-to-point model, flying directly between destinations. This works well for short-haul routes and explains why airlines such as easyJet, Ryanair and Jet2 often offer direct services from regional airports.
Most long-haul and traditional carriers operate a hub-and-spoke model, where flights funnel through one or two major hub airports. British Airways, for example, centres most of its operations around Heathrow.
This means that while you might be able to fly directly (for example) from Newcastle to Malta with a low-cost airline, flying with British Airways would involve connecting via London.
Because business travellers generally prefer direct flights — particularly from major hubs — airlines often charge a premium for non-stop services. As a result, it can sometimes be cheaper to fly from another city via London to a long-haul destination than to fly directly from London itself, even though you would be taking the same flight.
For example, an itinerary such as Amsterdam–London–New York can cost less than a direct London–New York flight, even though it involves an additional leg. This pricing quirk is especially common in premium cabins and can work well for travellers who are willing to add a short city break at the start or end of their trip.
If doing this you would need to factor in the addition return flight to, in this example Amsterdam, however even accounting for this it can still be cheaper especially if flying premium.
Some travellers attempt to skip the final leg of a return journey and leave the airport early — a practice commonly known as skip-lagging or hidden-city ticketing. This is against airline terms and conditions, is easy for airlines to detect, and can result in cancelled tickets or future travel bans. It’s not recommended.
Direct, Non-Direct and Connecting Flights
For the same reasons outlined above, connecting flights are often cheaper than direct options, particularly on long-haul routes. This is especially true where foreign airlines are operating their own hub-and-spoke networks through non-UK hubs.
However, the lower headline price doesn’t always tell the full story.
Indirect flights usually mean longer journey times and a higher risk of disruption. Delays or missed connections can quickly turn a saving into a stressful experience, particularly if you’re travelling on separate tickets or have a tight onward schedule. The key is balancing cost savings against time, comfort and risk.
Direct flights, while often more expensive, offer simplicity and time savings. They’re particularly valuable for short trips, business travel, or journeys where arriving rested matters.
Connections can make sense when the savings are substantial or when the stopover adds value — for example, breaking up a long journey or visiting an additional destination. In these cases, it’s important to check minimum connection times, baggage transfer rules and whether the journey is protected on a single ticket.
When Connecting Flights Are Unavoidable
If you don’t live within easy reach of a major hub airport, a connecting flight may be unavoidable. Likewise, some destinations simply don’t have direct flights from the UK at all — even from major hubs such as Heathrow.
For example, there are currently no direct flights from the UK to Madagascar. In this situation, you might book a through-ticket connection with an airline such as Air France via Paris. When booked as a single itinerary, the airline is responsible for getting you to your final destination. If a delay on the first leg causes you to miss your connection, they are obliged to rebook you.
In many cases, your baggage will also be checked through to your final destination, meaning you won’t need to collect it or pass through immigration at the connecting airport.
Separate Tickets and Self-Connections
An alternative — sometimes cheaper — approach is booking two separate flights. In this scenario, you’ll usually need to collect and recheck your baggage (even if on the same airline), pass through immigration in the connecting country, and meet any visa or entry requirements even if you don’t plan to stay there.
If you’re delayed on the first flight, there is no obligation on the second airline to assist you — even if both flights are with the same carrier but booked separately. This risk also applies when deliberately starting a journey outside the UK to save money.
If you choose this approach, it’s essential to allow plenty of time between flights to clear immigration, recheck baggage and manage any disruption. While this can sometimes mean long waits at the airport — or arriving too early to check in — it’s far better than missing your onward flight entirely.
If you’re considering a non-direct, non-connecting itinerary purely to save money, it’s worth asking the question: how much are you saving (including costs of additional visas), and how much do you value your time and peace of mind?
Package Holidays vs Flight-Only Bookings
In some cases, booking a package holiday or flight-plus-hotel deal can be cheaper than booking flights alone. Tour operators often have access to bulk airline fares and discounted hotel rates, particularly in off-peak periods when they’re trying to fill rooms or cabins.
Cruises and package holidays can offer particularly strong value outside peak season, and providers such as TUI often release competitive late deals.
Even if you plan to travel independently, it’s worth comparing package prices against flight-only fares — the savings can be surprising.
Holiday Nerd 